Many of our customers and suppliers not involved with municipal contracts sometimes ask us what our status as a certified Small Business Enterprise means. The short answer: our company has not yet surpassed $15 million in gross annual revenue so we are eligible to compete for projects the state of Connecticut has set aside to help develop small businesses.
It’s a great program; there are also set-asides for companies that are either minority-owned or women-owned; all part of Connecticut trying to diversify the types of companies working on taxpayer-funded projects. But that is not what comes immediately to mind when someone asks us about being a Small Business. What we think about is how small businesses play such an important role in the towns and cities in which they operate and we’re especially proud to be a small business in the town where our founder, many of our employees, subcontractors and customers grew up.
From our experience as a small business and working with other small businesses, we know the impact they can have on the people who work for and with them as well as the people in the communities that they serve. We think there are three traits small businesses exhibit which create more value for their customers:
Owner Involvement – Most small businesses are owned and operated by people proud of what they have built; we are no exception to that notion. When you hire Total Interiors, you receive the focus and attention of the owners and managers from start to finish. We know our reputation is on the line not only as professionals but also as neighbors you’ll bump into at The Big Y or the Dairy Queen. So we stay involved in the details of every project as if it were our own.
Flexibility – Almost by definition, small businesses are more nimble than their larger counterparts. We don’t make large or long-term investments in infrastructure which tie us to any one set way of doing things. Because we are close to our customers, we are able to hear feedback, observe changing preferences, and quickly adapt as project conditions change. We pride ourselves on our agility.
Empathy – As a small business, many of the projects we take on are for other small businesses. While we have the ability to scale up and tackle some pretty big projects, our roots keep us in tune with the needs of small business owners. For example, we know that an ill-timed surprise can be troublesome – sometimes devastating – so we do everything we can to minimize unexpected complications. We know what it’s like to walk in your shoes.
So we understand what it’s like to be a small business; and while there are challenging times, we relish our identity as a small business. What makes it extra special for us, is operating here in North Branford. Beyond it being the town where many of us grew up, our business was started and flourished in this town. As we drive to work every day, we are reminded of this.
When we pass Whitewood Commons, home to Hidden Kitchen, Therapeutic Escape (great chair massage!) and RV’s Quick Mart, we are reminded of the renovation work we did on that building. The same can be said of our former office space at 2290 Foxon Road, which houses Beyond Waves salon. And we could not be more proud of our new office building at 435 Foxon Road. We are now in one of the oldest buildings in North Branford!
If you are interested in working with us, please let us know. While we love working in North Branford, we also work around the state of Connecticut.
